


A Call From Home

by Rhaemaya



Category: Doom (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, set before the starting of original Doom, tender moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:01:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25564801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhaemaya/pseuds/Rhaemaya
Summary: Flynn gets a call from home while stationed on Mars. A moment ensues between family members as they talk briefly.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	A Call From Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, Rhae here back with some more DOOM content. Wanted to do something to celebrate my 1 year anniversary on Twitter along with 50+ followers. Decided to write a tender moment this time for the big guy between his wife and child. Inspiration was given by the photo found in the Fortress of Doom. Hope yall enjoy!
> 
> Also, you can find me at https://twitter.com/rhaemaya for more content or at least mini-updates on story progress for Juxtaposition and more!

It was another scorching day on mars, one of several that had left the UAC facility reeling as everything seemed to break down at the same time. Those that had time to spare were scrambling to the air conditioned units of the facility that still worked. The barracks had suffered the worst of the damage with so many inhabitants in it, meaning that it was a sweltering and nigh uninhabitable mess. But this also meant that it was empty save for a few who tried to suffer through it for a moments quiet.

Flynn lay in his bunk, eyes half closed as he began to doze off. Dropping the comic book he had in his hand onto his face, he jerked upward in shock, sending the poor thing flying across the bed. Wiping sweat from his brow, Flynn grumbled and reached down to pluck the thing back up. It was an old one that he had read several times already, Batman the Killing Joke. The thing was ancient, a reprint of a reprint. It was kept in a plastic sleeve or preservation, being practically a family heirloom at this point meant that you needed to care for it to last. 

Carefully unfolding the paper, Flynn double checked to see if any damage was done. Letting out a sigh of frustration as he saw a page's corner bent, he began the slow process of unbending it. The paper was brittle and with his large hands, the task was made even harder. “Damn thing.” He cursed, wiping more sweat from his brow. It took several minutes before he was able to undo the damage, but a mark was left from it all. Frowning, Flynn let out a sigh and fell back into his pillow. “Miserable place.” He quietly complained. “All we do is breathe rancid recycled air and kick dirt around.” Crossing his legs, he shoved his hands behind his head and stared up at the underside of the bunk bed above him.

Everything was high tech in this facility, yet the beds were still worn out, old military grade bunk beds. It sucked. Damn things were full of more lumps than cottage cheese. All of which left his already damaged back hurting more by the day. The whole place was making him miserable. He missed home. Missed his wife and child like nothing else he’d felt. 

Yet who was to blame for him being there in the first place?

Flynn always had a hard time with anger. He’d gotten into more brawls than he could count. Yet he never had  _ killed _ a man over his anger before. Flynn scowled angrily as he thought back to what had happened. Some peaceful protests had started, people unhappy about things being the way they were. He and his fellow comrades had been dispatched to handle the growing situation and when the peaceful protest turned into full blown riots,well..

His commanding officer ordered them to fire. At  _ unarmed  _ citizens. 

Needless to say, he turned on the cigarette butt sucker as quick as a mistreated hound turns on the foot that kicks it. 

Just thinking about it made his blood boil. Clenching his fists, Flynn closed his eyes and began to practice the deep breathing Edith had taught him. She would’ve been proud… that was if she was there to see him trying to do better. She’d known about the rage spells he had, wasn’t terrified of them but always asked him: ‘why?’

Damn if he knew, just how he was made.. at least that's what he always told himself.

Yet here he was, stuck on this shitty planet because the only way he knew how to ‘communicate’ was through action rather than words. Pitiful. Just pitifu-

The door opened and a man in full marine uniform stuck his bearded head in. Green eyes alight, he shot him a grin and said; “Hey Flynn.” 

Sitting up, Flynn returned the warm gesture: “Hey Marco, what’s up?”

“You got a phone call mate.” Marco wiggled his eyebrows. “An awful pretty lady from the looks of it.”

Flynn was out of bed before the man would finish his sentence. “Edith?” He asked as soon as he reached the doorway.

“No, your mom. Yes Edith!” Marco snorted and rolled his eyes. “Jesus man, who else calls you?”

Flynn smirked devilishly and patted the man on his shoulder. “Your mom calls me from time to time.” 

Marco huffed at that, letting out a disgusted groan. “Really man? That old gag?” Shaking his head, Marco shoved him on the shoulder. “Ain’t you got better material than that?”

“I could’ve said your girl friend, but she’s a bit indisposed at the moment.” Flynn’s grin widened as he let out a hyena like cackle and hurried past the man.

“You are the worst, you know that?” Marco hollered down the hallway. “The worst!”

Flynn laughed at that, knowing that Marco was about as yellow bellied as they got. Kid meant well, but just didn’t know how to handle a gun worth a damn. He hurried down the hallway, taking two lefts and a right before entering the comms room. The circular room was near empty save for a couple people talking to their own loved ones in small cubicle like boxes. Flynn looked around till he found one with a familiar face looking back at him. “Flynn!” She called.

A grin spread from ear to ear as he sat down, all his previous anger washing away. “Hey sweetheart.” He replied gently. “How are you?”

Edith smiled warmly at him, blond hair dancing as she shook her head and laughed. “Oh, you know. Same old same old. Cleaning house and trying to keep up with Joseph. I swear, he takes after you.” She gave him a look that said many many things all at once. Flynn could feel his heart pang in yearning, so much so that he subconsciously extended a hand out to touch her face, only to meet with the glass frame of the monitor. Edith’s smile faltered as the sorrow filled her too, for a moment that was. She put her smile back on and set her own hand against the screen in reflection of his own. “I miss you.” She whispered.

“I miss you too dear… so.. so much.” Flynn could barely get the words out, each one nearly choking him to death in their rain of grief. He could see a tear in her eye that hadn’t been there before. Retracting her hand, Edith wiped her face in a desperate attempt to will the surge of emotion back.

“Ah.” She spoke with such melancholy that it made him hurt. “I’m sorry, I just got something in my eye.”

Flynn laughed heartily at that and withdrew his own hand: “You always have something in your eye.” He mused, “Just like when we watched that old movie, ‘Marley and Me?’”

Snapping to attention, Edith pointed a finger at him in fury, “Don’t you DARE bring that up!” But Flynn just laughed harder, wiping a tear of his own away. “You cried just as hard as I did!” She fumed. Flynn began to cough from laughing so hard, and soon she too joined in till they both were dying of laughter. “Oh- you… ugh, i can never stay mad at you.” Edith wrinkled her face at that, as if she was trying to force herself into it.

“It’s the face.” Flynn smirked, “I guarantee it.”

“Tch!” She hissed and folded her arms, cocking her head to one side with narrowed eyes. “Are you always such a child?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.” He winked at her and watched as she blushed and looked away from him for a moment. Edith mumbled something under her breath that he barely caught. “What was that dear?” Leaning closer to the monitor, Flynn gave her ‘the look.’

Edith blushed deeper and turned to him, spitting out: “You’re insufferable!” Flynn began to laugh again as she bristled up like an angry hedgehog.

“Mommy, are you yelling at daddy?” Came a quiet voice. 

Edith gave a little jump and looked down: “Oh! Oh sweety, no we were just playing around." Flynn couldn’t see where the little voice came from, but his heart ached just hearing it. 

“Can I talk to daddy?” The voice asked sheepishly.

“Of course!” Edith bent down and picked up a little boy with curly blond locks and hazel eyes. 

“Hi daddy!” The boy, Joseph, waved furiously at the screen.

Flynn felt his heart soar at seeing his child, something which he never tired of. “Hey little bunny.” He waved back at the boy, a gentle grin on his face. “How are ya?”

“I’m good!” Joseph squirmed in his mother's arms as he tried to get a better look at the man in the screen, eyes squinting. “Mommy gave me a piece of blueberry pie for breakfast today!” The boy held up his hands to show just how ‘large’ the pie piece was.

Edith blanched a bit, giving a worried half smile, her eyes flickered to Flynn. “Did she now?” He scratched his chin for a moment before chuckling and shrugging his shoulders. “What happened to, lets not spoil his breakfasts anymore?”

She shot him a dirty look and patted the child on the head as he began to high pitch giggle at that. “If i remember correctly, it was  _ you _ who started this.”

“Me?” Flynn pointed at himself with both his index fingers and then gave an innocent look. “I would never do such a thing. I am the law abiding husband of this relationship.” 

Edith covered Joseph’s ear and hissed out: “Bullshit.” Which just led into another bout of laughter from Flynn. The boy wiggled free from his mother’s grasp, nearly falling off in the process. 

Once reseated, he began to bounce up and down in excitement. “Are you coming home soon daddy?”

It was a low blow, something that made Flynn flinch and recoil back. “No- not yet little bunny-” the child puckered his face and gave the starting hiccups of a good cry. “Hey, hey now, don’t do that. You know daddy has to work far from home for a little bit. It’ll only be for a little while and then I’ll be home before you know it.” Leaning closer he covered half his mouth and whispered as if telling a secret, “I’ll take you out to our little place for a treat?”

Joseph perked up at that, eyes growing big in excitement. “You promise?”

Flynn made an X above his heart and held up a hand; “I promise.” He said. 

The boy, once more content with his life, beamed a toothy grin and clapped his hands together. Edith smiled warmly at that and kissed the boy’s head. Flynn watched, suddenly feeling the millions of miles that lay between this place and his  _ home _ .

“Taggart! Your times up!” A voice suddenly shouted behind him. Flynn nearly jumped ten feet from shock. “Oh!” Edith looked up and gave him a worried look. “O-Okay Joey, wave goodbye to daddy now.” Joseph lifted his hand and waved frantically as if he had missed his opportunity. Edith joined in on the waving.

Flynn waved back, “Love you.” He said. “Miss you.” 

“Bye bye daddy!” 

“Love you Flynn! Stay out of trouble, okay?” Edith gave him a stern look that defiantly said, ‘unlike last time.’

Scratching the back of his head, Flynn gave a warm smile back to them and said: “I’ll do my best dear.” But the screen had already gone black. The darkness which had crescendo down seemed to find its way into his heart, locking him there with chains of iron.

“Come on Taggart. You’re up for guard duty.” The voice called again, this time with even more ‘angry military man voice’ in it.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming, I’m coming.” Standing up, Flynn gave one last look to the black monitor before turning and heading out.


End file.
